Forums.NitroExpress.com

After laboreusly reading the posts on this string, I believe, there those here who are quite knowledgable on shotguns, and seem to be the ones posting the most, on this string. Haveing said that, the string had to do with double rifles, and let me say, double rifles, and double shotguns are two distinctly different animals, and require different features.

Shotguns can be made light for guage, and are balanced differently than a double rifle. A "straight stock" in the context meant here, by the first poster, has nothing to do with recoil, but as in the context of the popular stock design used on an upland shotgun,to give quick access to the next trigger, and is straight in the wrist area only, not from the action to the shoulder of the shooter. Recoil on most shotguns is not a problem, be it pistolgrip, or upland (straight stocked). Double rifles are another matter all-together. The recoil can get vicious and a pistol grip stock, of large perportions (Thick, and tall from toe to heel, and massive pistolgrip) to tame some of the recoil, both to the shooter, and the stock. This is a necessity so that the next shot could be taken as quickly as possible in a life threatening sittuation, and still soak up the recoil, and to keep the stock from breaking. A properly balanced double rifle will have half it's total weight between the hands, the other half devided between the butstock, and the barrel set ahead of the fore-hand. No shotgun would be worth much for birding, especially, upland birding, balanced this way. I personally do not like a straight stock on ANYTHING but a lever action.

in the string above,the discription of how Britt shotguns are made for light loads so come apart when subjected to heavy loads over time,but handle very nicely, while the PLUMBER'S work double shotguns of American make stay together, but handle like clubs, is absolutely true. Those two sittuations are the make do on both ends. That is where the misguided thinking comes from when someone says so, and so, rifle is made on a shotgun action. The Germans disproved that theory long ago, by being the best makers of combination rifle/shotgun arms on the same action, with some haveing not only combination barrel sets, but double shot barrels, and full double rifle sets on the same action. These action are usually small for caliber,by Britt standards, and got pleanty of use in the fields, yet last as long as the best grade Britt doubles, both rifle and shotguns. It is not unusual to encounter German doubles,rifle, and shotguns with both barrel sets, and useing high pressure rifle loads, and being over 100 yrs old, and remain tight, and on face. The actions in most German, and Austrian made doubles be they shotgun, or rifle are made on the same actions, and both handle as well as any in the world. These are right in the middle between the Britt, and American designs. Strength is a matter of quality of steel, and shape, not weight!

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..........Mac >>>===(x)===>
DUGABOY1, and MacD37 founding member of DRSS www.doublerifleshooterssociety.com
"If I die today, I have had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"